Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Cooperation in the field of Environmental Protection

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, hereinafter referred to as "the Parties",

Recognizing friendly relations between the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Kazakhstan,

Considering generally recognized principles and norms of international law,

Taking into account the Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Environment and Development adopted at Rio de Janeiro on 14 June 1992,

Following the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters done at Aarhus on 25 June 1998, the United Nations Millennium Declaration, signed on 8 September 2000 and the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and Action Plan, adopted at Johannesburg on 4 September 2002,

have agreed as follows:

Article 1

The competent authorities responsible for implementation of the present Agreement are:

on behalf of the Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia;

on behalf of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Article 2

The Parties shall develop and extend mutual cooperation in the field of environmental protection and environmental pollution prevention in the interests of the States of both Parties, as well as promote further development of economic, scientific and technical contacts, in order to solve global and regional ecological problems by joint efforts.

Article 3

Cooperation of the Parties in the field of environmental protection shall be carried out within the framework of their respective national legislation and taking into account their international obligations in the following areas:

1) management of protected nature areas;

2) conservation of biodiversity;

3) global climate change;

4) ozone layer protection;

5) fight against desertification;

6) transboundary air pollution;

7) waste management;

8) protection and use of water resources;

9) energy efficiency and energy saving;

10) environmental monitoring;

11) other areas of cooperation agreed between the Parties.

Article 4

Cooperation in the field of environmental protection shall be carried out by mutual consent of the Parties in the following forms:

1) exchange of scientific-technical information and documents on research;

2) exchange of experience in development of national legislation and methodological basis in order to implement the Kyoto Protocol and to develop clean technologies and renewable energy sources;

3) exchange of best available environmental technologies;

4) exchange of experts.

Article 5

The Parties shall promote establishment of direct contacts and development of cooperation between institutions, natural and legal persons of the both Parties dealing with the environmental issues.

Article 6

The Parties shall cover their own expenses what may arise by implementing the present Agreement within the funds determinated by national legislation, unless the Parties agree otherwise.

Article 7

Any disputes that may arise concerning interpretation or application of the present Agreement shall be resolved by negotiations and consultations between the Parties.

Article 8

The present Agreement shall not prejudice the rights and obligations arising out of other effective international agreements concluded by their States.

Article 9

Amendments and addendums shall be made to the present Agreement on the basis of mutual consent of the Parties. Such amendments and addendums shall be executed as separate protocols that form an integral part of the present Agreement.

Article 10

The present Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period of time.

The present Agreement shall enter into force on the date of receipt of the last written notification through diplomatic channels by which the Parties notify each other that the constitutional and/or legislative requirements necessary for its entry into force have been fulfilled.

Either Party may terminate the present Agreement by giving written notification of its intention through diplomatic channels to the other Party. Any such termination shall take effect six months after the date of receipt of the notification by the other Party.

Termination of the present Agreement shall not affect the validity of activities initiated and contracts signed for the implementation of the present Agreement, unless the Parties agree otherwise.

Done in Astana, on June 3, 2013, in two copies, each in the, Latvian, Kazakh, Russian and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence of interpretation of the present Agreement, the English text shall prevail.